This invention relates to a card-type image sensor inserted into the card slot of a computer or the like for introducing image into the computer.
Computers are becoming increasingly small in size and even computers as small as one's hand have made their appearance. Since the limitation upon the size of the recording medium in these small-size computers is greater than in the case of desktop computers, small-size computers are provided with a card slot into which a PCMCIA card can be directly inserted instead of a floppy disk drive.
Usually a memory card or fax card is capable of being inserted into the card slot so that a variety of applications can be accommodated. Further, a card-type image sensor the distal end of which is provided with a camera head for introducing an image has recently been proposed, as illustrated in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-121147.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the general construction of such a card-type image sensor. The image sensor includes a main body comprising a signal processor 100 arranged on a board, a card connector 101 provided on the edge at one end of the board and a support portion 102 provided on the other end of the board. A camera head 103 is supported on the support portion 102 so as to be free to rotate.
Video cameras, which are electronic devices for handling images, now feature excellent picture quality and functionality by virtue of a variety of technical advances. Hence it is only a matter of time before card-type image sensors are also furnished with full functionality. In such case the functions of the image sensor will be assigned to the keys on the computer keyboard and the camera will be capable of being controlled or operated by operating the keys.
However, if it is attempted to accommodate an increase in the number of functions of a conventional card-type image sensor solely by keyboard operation, there is the danger that such operation will become increasing complicated and result in a less user-friendly environment.
Another problem in the prior art mentioned above is that a desk or the like may interfere with the image sensor head when the head is turned, depending upon the way the rotary shaft of the head is set in position.
Further, when the camera unit having the foregoing construction is loaded in and unloaded from a computer, a connection is made by pushing the card into the computer by hand to insert the card and the card can be detached from the computer by pressing an eject button on the computer body when the card is extracted.
However, with the image sensor according to the prior art described above, the image sensing portion protrudes from the computer body. Consequently, the camera head may be pulled out of the computer body without the eject button being pressed. As a result, there is the possibility that the device will be caused to malfunction.